Paresies heard some people coming so he grabbed his trusty dagger from his boot and swung it at someone. A lucky hit, he thought, as he hit his target in the eye.

He fell to the ground with his dead opponent but grabbed his dagger and immediatly got back up. He dodged one hit and swung at someone again, but this time missing. Not using his dagger, he punched someone as hard as he could, which in effect threw his oppponent to the ground.

He waisted no time in driving his dagger into the man before he got up. Turning to face a man behind him, he didn't hear another sneaking up on him until he got stabbed in the shoulder.

"Aaaggh!!" he yelled in pain. He turned to confront the man and got punched in the face instead.

He was angry now and spit in the guy's eyes, stabbing him in the chest, piercing the lung.

Seeing a opening in the circle he made a break for it, leaving some men behind.

Logged

"Now that I am older, the only thing I know for certain is that I know nothing for certain." -Artemis Entreri

"New things are like a new pair of underwear. At first it's constricting but then it becomes a part of you."- Garth Algar (played by Dana Carvey)

A diminuitive figure garbed in flowing black robes beckoned to Paresies. "Pssst. Come here." A gnarled finger beckoned to the darkness of the narrow alley that was frightning or comforting depending on your disposition...

Logged

"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

While the men continued, something in the nearby woods was staring. The sounds of steel clashing steels along with a blood chilling scream or two following, and then silence. Suddenly a large figure came into site of Paresies. The figure was suited in gleaming armor of iron and steel, following with a bright red cap. The figure clutched a long shiny saber, stained with the blood of it foe, the sanguine fluid consistently continued to fall to the ground like drops of rain. After wiping the blade from the blood with a piece of cloth and casting it onto the ground, the figure spoke with a sharp, deep booming voice.

"Don't be alarmed wary traveler, for I am Henrey the Paladin and I am a Crusader from Rome"

"And what pray tell, is it that has drawn such a cumbersome party into my stupor?" A thin and threadbare voice wheezed. A gaunt man with yellow eyes glared at them, the faint light from the distant tavern glinted against those rheumy and ill-looking orbs and gave his face a jaundiced glow. "Roman Crusader...thief...Knight...black robed man...all crowding in my stupor." His breath was foul to those close enough to smell it, a fetid vapour of alcohol spirits and rotting teeth.

Paresies was getting really annoyed now. He just wanted to get to bed! "What is going on!" he demanded. " First, an old man brings me over here, second, this Roman Crusader comes in,then a mysterious person starts talking to me. Paresies put his dagger away and crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.

Logged

"Now that I am older, the only thing I know for certain is that I know nothing for certain." -Artemis Entreri

"New things are like a new pair of underwear. At first it's constricting but then it becomes a part of you."- Garth Algar (played by Dana Carvey)

Zemutet had gotten separated from Paresies some time ago. The crowded taverns had proved more challenging to navigate than the region's mountainous terrain, he thought to himself, chuckling at the irony.

As Zem began his walk home, he pondered what the future might bring. Friends since squiredom, he and Paresies had long ago become each others most trusted confidant in Syllestia's ever so political military.

Not one to shy away from the challenge of battle, he was uneasy with the way the King seemed to have instigated the war.

"Where the hell is Paresies?" He whispered out loud.

Logged

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!" -Conan

Back at the alley, Henrey spoke to Paresies, saying "I was sent to protect some pilgrims on their pilgrimage to the Holy land but we were attacked by an onslaught of knights in dark armor. They kill most of them, men, women and children. But managed to cut them all like a wild fire in the forest, but know I am here, lost and sadly I do not know were I am".

"What is going on, you ask?" The yellow eyed vulture gave a phlegmy chuckle. "That is an interesting question, one with an equally interesting answer. You have been called here...to this place, this moment, each of you. By me." He stopped to cough several times before spitting up a foamy blob of yellowish green mucus.

"War is coming, yes...but it must happen a certain way. Syllestia must strike first, or it will fall unto ruin. Why should you care? Because Rome will certainly fall after. Maybe months, maybe years, or even decades. If Burlesia wins, all will be lost..." He gave a wan smile that showed rotting teeth.

Walking through town, Zem heard the scuttlebutt about death in the streets this night.

His concern grew greater when he found Paresies not to be at home in bed. He decided to make a single pass through town to find him. Chances were good he found a pretty maiden to spend his time with, yet he couldn't shake a nagging, ominous, feeling that something was wrong.

Stumbling onto the grisly scene of Scatlin's abandoned men set off the alarm bells. Luckily he thought he could see Paresies in the distance...

Logged

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!" -Conan

"Because, my uncouth guest, I speak a language that all men understand." He said with a grimey smile, producing a tattered leather pouch from under his cloak, the leather itself looked worn and was fraying at the ends, and yet the shape and size of the bag made it look disturbingly like a certain part of a man's anatomy...

He opened the pouch and poured some of its contents into his filthy palm. There is something unmistakable, something almost magical about gold, about the way it shines even in the dark. And there were a number of golden coins, marked with the doube-headed dragon of Burlesia, and the cruciform of Rome. More astounding were the stones, a large and flawless diamond, a pearl of unimaginable luster, and a flake of green stone...too large and pale to be an emerald.

Henrey spoke to the vulture "If a war is coming, how do fit in? for I'm a but one Knight, lost in a strange place. But of course, it must be a sign from God that must fight. If you need stranger, you have my trust." Henrey then took out his saber and thrust it into the air and cried out "for God and the kingdom of Rome I shall not fail."

Zemutet approached the group with a curious cautiousness. A veteran of many campaigns, he was not eager to jump into the unknown.

Seeing the old man, he approached the group, close enough to be within hearing range, but far enough to not be noticed.

He could here Paresies speak. Nothing seemed out of order, aside from the random meeting with this unorthodox group. Still, Zem didn't want to interrupt the flow of what seemed to be information that could be very useful.

Logged

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!" -Conan

"WARE!!" The voice was loud, seemingly too loud for the small figure in the black cloak. "Ware." The voice was lower but a sharp hiss. "Paresies. I knew you would come and I am for you. You are deestined for great things but doomed to a life of bloodshed and loss." The speaker peered at the men, features hidden in the darkness of the cowl. "If you follow the path of this gold." The voice was low so the others had to lean forward to hear. "If you follow the path of this gold you will never return. I will help you because I am for you. The path is fraught with peril. Ware foes and friends." This last was said with a glowering glance at the assembled group...

Logged

"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

"Fear monger, charlatan, purveyor of snake oil..." the Vulture scowled at the black cloaked figure. "Yet you have a part yet to play in this. The stake of kingdoms, and the lives of many weigh on your shoulders. Should you fail, along the road or here now, they will perish. The future is fire and blood, ruin and smoke." He broke into a rattling cough that shook his frail body. A sheen of sweat shone on his liver-spotted head.

"I bid you to take this map, and save our kingdoms, Burlesia and Syllestia, Rome and Arpad." the vulture fumbled out a small map, its edges as tattered and worn as the man who held it. "You can find aid from Jack, the King of Crows...in Lomar..." He said, failing to another round of hacking that left a dribble of blood on his thin lips.

OOC - the map shows a road that leads NE to the City of Lomar, a port that trades between Burlesia and Syllestia, it also has a Roman Temple within its old and battered walls.

Nameless looked at the old man. Saw what danced about him. The inevitability of the fates that awaited them all. No one left alive. "Charlatan? I deal in the currency of reality. The weak fear it. You've not long to walk with us Old One." Nameless looked at Paresies and for a moment the younger man could almost see pale features within the darkness of the cowl. "This one...this one has the strength necessary to break through to what lies beyond. My path is with him." Nameless fell in step behind Paresies...

Logged

"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Zem slipped away unnoticed. He had many questions, but none were for Paresies. Paresies, in his mind, had made his decision and was now in league with Rome, among others.

Possibilities rolled through his mind. How could he parlay this information to his advantage? Surely General Stilt would favor someone who showed loyalty to him and Syllestia above all else.

He would have to play this carefully as to not appear to be skipping the chain of command and yet getting full credit for his "loyalty."

Zem made the walk to headquarters as he pondered this. False dawn could be seen in the sky. The grass was covered with fresh dew. Camp was already stirring with the preparations for war.

He ended up at Captain Banister's office.

Banister himself could have advanced further in the King's army would he not have had such a distaste for politics. Zem, in the past, had used this knowledge to his advantage and would do so again this day.

"Hello Landil," Zem spoke casually to the slender personal assistant of Banister. The man, more suited for clerical work than soldiering, made sure the captain maintained his appointments. Some said he ran the unit.

"Lieutenant Zemutet," he said looking up, sheepishly, from his desk. "What is it that I can assist you with?"

"When is it that the Captain will be in council with General Stint again?"

Landil hesitated knowing the schedule to be considered confidential.

Ignoring the stall, Zemutet proceeded. "How is your wife?" He asked with a tight smile, cocking his head slightly.

As Landil was about to answer, Zem interrupted "How is Marjoram?" Marjoram was not Landil’s wife, but a mistress that Zemutet had gone to great lengths to have seduce Landil.

"I know no one named Marjoram," Landil stated in weak denial, his posture slumping.

Zemutet looked at Landil, cocking his head the other direction. He held his hands up and shrugged.

A defeated Landil opened up the schedule.

********************************************************************

As luck would have it, Captain Banister and General Stilt were meeting for an early breakfast. Moving such a large army took much preparation.

After talking his way into the room, Zem made a show of drawing the Captain’s attention and telling him of Paresies treachery. This of course led to the General asking questions, which lead to a lurking Zemutet being invited to the table for further questioning.

The ever resourceful Zemutet worked that into an invitation to join them.

Before the morning was over, Paresies was no longer a promising lieutenant, he was a wanted man, hunted by the kingdom he no longer could serve. The General sent sentries to locate him and retrieve him for trial.

« Last Edit: July 07, 2006, 03:27:10 PM by Catalyst »

Logged

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!" -Conan

Nameless looked at Paresies. "Your house, them to Lomar with haste my liege." Dice rolled in Nameless' head, they had yet to fall. Luck was not with them in this...

Logged

"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."